John J. Jeffries has been reincarnated. As a tobacco leaf inspector in the late nineteenth century, his stamped inspection ticket surfaced during renovations at the Lancaster Arts Hotel in 2005-2006.

The former tobacco warehouse has been transformed into a splendid historic hotel. John J. Jeffries is the seasonal, sustainable, farm to table fine dining restaurant off of the hotel's lobby.

Chefs/Owners Mike Carson and Sean Cavanaugh opened the restaurant in 2006.

"We came back to this Lancaster County location specifically to partner with local growers," Cavanaugh said.

Working with 35 to 40 farms, the restaurant serves whatever is in season or available that day, week or month.

Greens and herbs are available most of the year, grown in green houses, hydroponically or in high tunnels, which trap heat in and hold sunlight. Locally grown produce, grass-fed meats, pond-raised ducks and free-range poultry along with cheeses and heirloom ingredients, such as tomatoes and corn flours, are showcased throughout the menu.

Steak tartare was available as a small plate ($10 for appetizer) or as an entrée ($21.) Surrounded by house made crostini, the timbale of steak tartare was the focal point on the white plate. Salty snippets of caper, sweet minced shallots and sea salt flavored the velvety textured beef. This appetizer was superb.

Wenger cultivates and mills seeds such as Floriani red flint which is a variety of red corn (suitable for grits and polenta) that has been growing in a small valley in Northern Italy for at least four centuries.

"We use the whole animal from head to tail. We use the bones to make all of our sauces. Our servers let customers know what part of the animal is available...short ribs, New York strips, flat iron, tenderloin," Cavanaugh said.

Once you've tasted aged, grass-fed beef there's no going back to packaged supermarket steaks. New York strip steak had such depth of flavor it hardly needed the herbed chimichurri lattice across the top. A crisp-tender asparagus and ethereal cloud of sweet potato puree came alongside of it.

Keswick Creamery Quark and local berry cheesecake ($8) had a bigger name than taste. The cheese slice picks up some berry flavor, but this dessert was unremarkable. Noteworthy and preferred was lavender and local honey scented crème brûlée ($7).

"We've had a lot of buzz lately. People come here from everywhere. They stay at the hotel before continuing on to New York or Washington, D.C. if they're driving. We get a lot of Europeans and of course, the neighboring college kids and their families," Cavanaugh said.

Meals are phenomenal. I'm buzzing over this farm to table local hot spot too.